When preparing your home for sale, you need to fix things up, declutter, perhaps slap a fresh coat of paint on a few walls. That’s all part of getting your property ready for buyers.

But there’s another type of preparation that you also need to do. And, the sooner you do it, the less stressful your move will be.

You need to get all your paperwork together.

Here’s what to gather:
 

• Property documents such as deeds, easements, surveys, liens, etc.
• Mortgage documents, plus any other loans (i.e., line of credit) that use the property as collateral.
• Maintenance and service agreements that may continue with the new owners.
• Warranties and guarantees that are transferrable to the new owners.
• Recent utility bills, such as water, electricity, etc.
• Rentals (i.e., water heater rental.)
• Home security agreements and codes.
• Contracts for any work done on an ongoing basis. For example,
       lawn maintenance.

 
Getting these records together early will ensure you’re not scrambling at the last minute to find them. Some of these documents, such as warranties, also make for attractive selling features.

When considering whether or not to sell their home, many people think about market conditions. They consider whether it’s a buyer’s or seller’s market. They look at trends. They try to time the sale to get the best price for
their property.

While market conditions certainly can play a role in deciding whether you should sell now rather than later, many other factors can influence that decision too.

For example, you might have outgrown your home and need more space. Perhaps you need an extra bedroom or a larger kitchen. If you wait until market conditions are perfect, you may languish for months — or even years — in a home that’s too small for you.

The same can be said for downsizing.

Another “non-market” reason you might want to sell your home sooner rather than later is the neighbourhood. Is there another community more suited to your lifestyle that you want to get into? If it’s a particularly desirable area, you don’t want to wait too long to make a move. If you do, you might lose some good opportunities.

There’s also the emotional side of the decision to consider. You might simply want to move for no other reason than you need a change. That’s as good a reason as any to put up the For Sale sign and find your next dream home.

Other non-market reasons for selling include:
 

• Wanting a shorter commute to work.
• Desiring a different style of neighbourhood. (Rural rather than urban.)
• A change in family situation.
• Living closer to relatives and friends.
• Wanting a particular property feature, such as a backyard with
  mature trees.

 
The point is, don’t just consider market conditions when deciding to sell. Look at all the reasons and then move forward with confidence. After all, you can sell and buy in any market.

What is it about your property that stands out? What will buyers like most about it? What are your home’s most enticing features?
 
Answering those questions will help you determine which features to emphasize when selling your home. After all, you want buyers to notice and appreciate your property’s best characteristics.
 
But here’s the challenge...
 
It can be difficult to determine which features of your home are particularly desirable to buyers. You live there! So, there might be a fantastic characteristic of your property that you’ve gotten used to. You might not even realize its value.
 
One way to gain perspective is to ask friends, “What is it about our property that you like most? What stands out to you?” Ask them to be candid. Often, they’ll reveal characteristics about your home that may surprise you. You’ll definitely gain insights that will help you when listing.
 
Another technique is to compare your property to others in the neighbourhood. Buyers often target neighbourhoods, so realizing how your home stands out can be helpful when marketing it. For example, your property might have a larger backyard than most others on the street, or it might have a lot of recent upgrades.
 
Another way to discover your home’s most attractive features is to talk to me. I can tell you what buyers will like most about your property.

When prospective buyers view your property, you hope they will think it’s the perfect fit for them. It might well be. However, there are things that can get in the way of a buyer recognizing that perfect fit and making an offer.

Take a look at these common reasons why some buyers will walk away from an otherwise ideal property:
 

1. Poor staging. Is staging really that important? According to several studies, an effectively staged home will usually sell faster and for a higher price. Staging not only makes your home look good to buyers, it also shows off all the positive characteristics of your property.
2. Clutter. Psychologists tell us that clutter often makes people uneasy. That’s definitely not the feeling you want to convey when showing your property! Also, clutter is more apparent to visitors than it may be to you. So, if you have a room that seems a bit cramped to you, imagine how it feels to the buyer.
3. Maintenance issues. Just as clutter does, maintenance issues make buyers uneasy. If they see a dripping faucet in the bathroom, they may worry there are more serious issues lurking elsewhere. Also, maintenance issues are distracting. (Buyers will notice the faucet leak rather than the beautiful tiles.) So, get any needed repairs done when preparing your home for sale.
4. List price. Setting the list price is both an art and a science. You want the price to attract as many qualified buyers as possible. If it’s set too high — or even too low — buyers who might have otherwise made an offer won’t even bother to see your property. Make sure your home is priced right.

Walk-through videos are becoming increasingly popular. The seller’s agent simply films a tour of a home, often including commentary, and then makes the video available to prospects.

When you’re shopping for a new home, you want to get the most out of watching this type of video, especially if you’re relying on it to help you decide whether or not to make a viewing appointment.

Consider these suggestions:
 

• Remember, it’s a video. So take advantage of the ability to pause, go back and forth, and take                       screenshots you can review later.
• When you’re watching, look for everyday items that can give you perspective, such as a lamp, sofa             or chair. These items will help you gain a more accurate sense of room sizes.
• Although that previous tip will help, it’s still difficult to judge room size on a video. So, don’t be quick           to dismiss a listing because you think the rooms might be too small.
• Pay attention to what is not shown. Did the agent leave the ensuite bathroom out of the video?                   That  may indicate an issue. 
• When viewing the main rooms, such as the living room and kitchen, try to get a sense of how your             furniture will fit.
• Make a list of features and characteristics you want in your next home. Have that list handy as you               watch the video. You can use it as a checklist.
• While you’re watching, jot down any questions you have about the property.

After watching the video, if you like what you see, take the next step. Schedule a viewing appointment.

Imagine a kid running a lemonade stand. He’s selling his product for 25 cents a cup. He’s doing okay. Sales are good. Then someone comes up to his stand and says, “I’ll give you 50 cents for a cup. But, I don’t have the money right now. Give me the lemonade and I’ll pay you later.”

Should he take the deal?

Chances are, you’d advise against it. After all, just because the price is high — in this case, double — doesn’t mean the offer is a good one. There’s a chance the customer won’t come back with the promised 50 cents! That’s a simple example but applicable when considering multiple offers for your home. Yes, the offer with the highest price is often the one to accept, but there are situations when that’s not the case.

For example, you should be careful when considering the highest offer if the buyers’ financial situation is uncertain. Have they attached an appropriate deposit? Have they secured a prearranged mortgage from a reputable lender? Has their current home been sold, or is it at least listed for sale?

It may turn out that the offer is fine, but these are questions that should be considered.

Another scenario involves conditions. The highest offer might have conditions
such as your property passing a home inspection or the buyers selling their
current home. That would make the second-highest offer with no conditions
more attractive — especially if the price isn’t far off that of the highest offer.

Keep in mind that you can ask to have conditions dropped in your
counter-offer.

As you can see, deciding which offer to accept is not as straight-forward as it
may seem, especially if you anticipate getting multiple offers.

Imagine you’re viewing a home for sale. You venture to the basement, check out the furnace room, and notice the water heater. Is it owned or rented? As a potential buyer, you’d want to know.

Now imagine a property you’re viewing has a brand-new gas fireplace. Nice! Is it under warranty? Is that warranty transferrable to you if you buy the home? Again, you’d want to know.
So, when you’re selling, it’s important to pull together all the necessary records you will need in order to answer these types of buyer questions. After all, if a particular warranty transfers to the new owner, that’s a selling point.

Take the time to find receipts, warranty certificates, and other documents related to:

• Renovations (such as a bathroom makeover)
• Major repairs or replacements (such as a new air conditioner)
• Service prepayments (such as a lawncare service paid annually)
• Purchases of major appliances and other items

After your home has been cleaned from top to bottom, it’s natural to want it to stay that way. Don’t you wish you could just wave a magic wand and the place would clean itself? Unfortunately, even Harry Potter can’t manage that!

However, when you’re preparing your property for sale, you really do need to keep it clean and ready for showings. There are several ways you can make doing that a bit easier.

Try these tips:?

• The one-minute rule. If a cleaning or tidying task takes you less than a minute, consider doing it                   right away. For example, keeping the foyer clear of clutter.
• One room a day. After you’ve cleaned and tidied your home, maintain it by focusing on just one                 room a day. That’s manageable for most people.
• Prioritize the floors. If you can keep the floors clean, everything else will tend to fall into place.                     Consider a routine where you do a quick sweep or vacuum of the floors each evening.
• Declutter as much as possible. Clutter is the enemy of cleaning! When a room is free of clutter, it’s             easier to keep it clean, tidy and looking great.
• Get extras. Buy an extra mop or broom so other household members can help with the cleaning.               Also, be sure to stock up on cleaning supplies so you don’t run short just before a viewing                           appointment.
• Hire a cleaning service. Having a professional cleaning service come once a week—or twice a week           when you’re showing your property frequently—can take a lot off your shoulders. Think of it                         as an investment in selling your home.

Keeping your home looking “guest-ready” makes your home show better and gets more buyers interested. But, the task doesn’t need to be daunting. Try these tips to make it easier!

As you may know, a fresh coat of paint is an inexpensive way to make your home look great to buyers. But, what if you don’t have time to paint the entire place? Here are three areas you should prioritize—and one you can potentially ignore.

1. Rooms with bold colours
A red bedroom and orange walk-in closet likely won’t appeal to everyone! Replacing personalized colours with a neutral colour scheme will present buyers with a “blank canvas” to which they can add their own personal touch. 

2. Kitchen
When buyers view your home they linger in the kitchen, which makes it a key selling point. A new paint job will instantly make the space look cleaner and more inviting. 

3. Interior doors
These become worn due to being touched multiple times a day, yet are often overlooked when painting. A new coat of paint on key doors, such as those for bedrooms and washrooms, can make a significant impact on the look of your home.

By the way, you may be able to pass on painting exterior doors. They’re often coated with a durable weather-resistant enamel and don’t usually need more than a good wash.

If you want to sell an item quickly—say, a couch—you can post it online, stick a super-low price tag on it and, chances are, it will be gone by the end of the day.
 
So it’s understandable that some people think the same thing applies when selling a home. Indeed, if you need to sell your property quickly, you might assume that setting a low listing price is the best way to make that happen.
 
But that isn’t necessarily true.
 
The fact is, the list price is only one of many factors that determine how quickly your home will sell—and for how much.

For example, if your home is in high demand at the moment—given its characteristics, neighbourhood, move-in readiness, and overall desirability—then it may sell quickly at its current market value or even a little higher.
 
On the other hand, if the market is more of a buyer’s market, setting a list price that will attract qualified buyers to your home, and away from comparable listings, may be important. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you need to low-ball the price.
 
Keep in mind there are many other things that can help get your property sold quickly, such as how skillfully your listing is promoted and marketed, how well your home shows to buyers, and how flexible you are with your closing date.